As of December 2019, Microsoft announced that it will no longer support the software on any Windows phones. While this might sound like a bummer, there is still tons of cool stuff you can do with your mobile device! Read through all your options to see what you can do with your Windows phone before you decide to throw it away. Keep in mind, though, that continuing to use Windows mobile devices could leave you at risk for a security attack, since Microsoft no longer updates their security features.

1

Use it as a PC.

  1. If you have a Lumia 950/950XL, you can plug it into a monitor. Buy either a NexDock or a Microsoft Dock, and make sure your Windows phone has the Continuum feature installed (most of them do by default). It won’t be quite as good as a real PC, but you can still access the internet, read your emails, and open up your apps and photos.[1]
    • All the apps you have on your phone should work like normal on a PC. You can also take calls through your Windows phone while it’s connected to a computer monitor.
    • If there are apps on your phone that no longer work, you can access the sites through your web browser.
    • Most docks are around $150 to $200.
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Turn it into cloud storage.

  1. Download the FTP server app to store photos, music, and videos. If you’re tired of paying for cloud storage, you can use your Windows phone as a backup device for your primary phone. Download the FTP server app, then copy all of your files to a folder on your phone. Connect to your home WiFi and add that folder to the FTP server app. You can access your files by entering the app’s address into any web browser.[2]
    • You’ll only be able to access your files if you’re on your home WiFi network, so keep that in mind if you decide to head out on the road.

Warnings

  • As of December 2019, Microsoft no longer updates the software on Windows phones. This means that using Windows mobile devices could put you at risk for hacking or a malware attack.[13]
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About This Article

Mobile Kangaroo
Co-authored by:
Computer & Phone Repair Specialists
This article was co-authored by Mobile Kangaroo and by wikiHow staff writer, Hannah Madden. Mobile Kangaroo is a full service repair shop and Apple Authorized Service Provider headquartered in Mountain View, CA. Mobile Kangaroo has been repairing electronic devices such as computers, phones, and tablets, for over 19 years, with locations in over 20 cities. This article has been viewed 10,906 times.
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Co-authors: 4
Updated: August 13, 2021
Views: 10,906
Categories: Windows
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